College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Yi Chuan. 2022 Jun 20;44(6):491-500. doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.22-004.
Sexually dimorphic plumage coloration is widespread in birds in which the male plumage is brighter than the female. This phenomenon is related to the environmental constraints on sexual selection or intraspecific competition between males and females in birds. The physiological factors and genetic regulation mechanism affecting the color of sexual dimorphism plumages in birds have always attracted significant attention in research. Understanding the diversity of sexually dimorphic traits provides insights into the mating strategies of the sexes and their behavior, ecology, and evolution. Interestingly, the ASIP, MC1R, TYRP1, and BCO2 genes have been identified to play a potential role in the coloration of melanin and carotenoids in bird sexual dimorphism plumages, either by controlling the rate and type of melanin or carotene synthesis or degradation by exerting an effect on the pigment biosynthetic pathway. In this review, we systematically summarize the biological significance, the direct causes (chemical and physical color), and the influence of sex hormones in sexually dimorphic plumage coloration. We also investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the roles of some genes on sexual dimorphism coloration, thereby providing a reference for in-depth understanding on the formation mechanism(s) of sexual dimorphic coloration in birds.
性二型羽色在鸟类中广泛存在，其特征是雄鸟的羽色比雌鸟更鲜艳。这种现象与鸟类中环境对性选择的限制或雌雄个体间的种内竞争有关。影响鸟类性二型羽色的生理因素和遗传调控机制一直是研究的重点。了解性二型特征的多样性为研究雌雄的交配策略及其行为、生态和进化提供了线索。有趣的是，ASIP、MC1R、TYRP1 和 BCO2 基因已被确定在鸟类性二型羽色的黑色素和类胡萝卜素着色中发挥潜在作用，其通过影响色素生物合成途径来控制黑色素或类胡萝卜素合成或降解的速率和类型。在本综述中，我们系统地总结了性二型羽色的生物学意义、直接原因（化学和物理颜色）以及性激素的影响。我们还研究了一些基因在性二型颜色形成中的作用的分子机制，为深入了解鸟类性二型颜色形成的机制提供了参考。
